A general strike jointly called by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN), Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Students, Indigenous Nationalities Joint Struggle Committee and the National Indigenous Women Federation, has crippled the various walks of life across the nation.
The indigenous groups called a nationwide shutdown on Wednesday, demanding federal system with autonomy of ethnic groups and holding the constituent assembly election with proportional representation.
Only a few motorcycles, ambulances and vehicles belonging to the press were seen plying on roads since the morning as the NFIN activists deployed in the major thoroughfares did not let vehicles ply on the road.
The capital city witnessed all shops in main markets streets totally closed while shops in the inner streets were opened.
All the educational institutions and factories also remained closed.
Police took some people into custody from Rabi Bhawan of Kathmandu for forcing people to shut down their shops and not allowing vehicles on the road in order to make the strike successful. They were released after sometime.
Protesters are reported to have damaged four motorcycles parked at Bhrikuti Chowk of Biratnagar.
In Charikot, bandh supporters vandalized a shop and forced the traders to down shutters.
Likewise, most shops and academic institutions in Kalaiya were closed. Shops in Gaur, Garuda, Katahariya, Samanpur and Gangapipara were also shut.
Similarly shops, academic institutions, business houses and factories remained closed Narayangarh also.
Mahendra Highway, the busiest highway in the country saw no vehicles having been plied.
The impact of the strike was felt in Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam and Jhapa districts of the Mechi zone; Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Sunsari districts of the Koshi zone and Solukhumbu, Khotang, Okhaldhunga and Udaypur districts of the Sagarmatha zone.
The protesters torched a vehicle registered as Sa 1 Pa 178, for defying the strike orders in Saptari.
Factories and academic institutions were shut while transportation service remained halted there. Dharan and Itahari bazaars, too, remained shut.
Dr. Om Gurung, coordinator of the talks team set up by NFIN, had said that he had proposed to the government to call for a roundtable meeting so as to address the problems of people of indigenous nationalities along with that of the Madhesis, Dalits and other backward communities in a single package.
NFIN had officially sat for talks with the government as part of the first phase of negotiations on Monday, however, had refused the government's request to call off today's general strike which was scheduled earlier by the federation.
The second round of the talks will take place on March 2.
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